Kitchen Renovation in Dubai: Design and Engineering

Why kitchen renovation in Dubai is not just about "beautiful backsplash"

A kitchen in Dubai rarely remains just a cooking space.

In villas and apartments, it simultaneously serves as:

• work zone,

• family gathering place,

• "picture" for tenants and buyers,

• node where electricity, water, ventilation and climate converge.

At the same time, several layers of reality affect the kitchen in Dubai:

• hot climate and high load on air conditioning,

• developer and community rules (Emaar, Nakheel, etc.),

• engineering and safety requirements,

• market expectations — both in design and functionality.

According to market reviews, the average kitchen renovation budget in Dubai can range from 15,000 to 100,000+ AED depending on scale, material level, and whether layout and engineering are affected. For villas, the average check for a serious kitchen often starts from 25,000 AED and above.

This article is not a price list, but logic:

how to approach kitchen renovation so that design and engineering work together, not fight each other.

Kitchen as a node: where design and MEP meet

Any kitchen has three layers:

1. Layout and ergonomics — where cooking zone, sink, refrigerator, storage are located.

1. Engineering (MEP) — Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing:

• electrical, panels, lines and outlets,

• water and sewage,

• ventilation and exhaust,

• sometimes — gas.

1. Finishing and furniture — fronts, countertops, backsplash, floor, lighting.

In a good kitchen, these layers are:

• thought through as a unified system,

• consider building and community rules,

• laid out in the project before furniture makers arrive.

The mistake "first order the kitchen, engineering will catch up" in Dubai almost always leads to:

• rework,

• delays,

• extra costs.

MEP systems are the "skeleton" of the project: they are responsible for safety, comfort and functionality, while design gives form and feel to the space.

Kitchen design: layout, scenarios, open or closed

1. Layout and work triangle

Classic logic — work triangle:

• refrigerator,

• sink,

• cooktop / oven.

In a real kitchen in Dubai, we more often talk about scenarios:

• quick breakfast,

• family dinner,

• hosting guests,

• staff work (for villas with maid's room and separate kitchen).

It's important to plan:

• distances and passages,

• work surface heights,

• storage zones for different types of items (food, appliances, dishes).

2. Open or closed kitchen

In apartments and villas, two approaches are popular:

• Open kitchen

+ visually enlarges space,

+ works as life center,

– smells and noise,

– needs strong exhaust and proper ventilation.

• Closed/semi-open kitchen

+ convenient if cooking often or there's staff,

+ easier to control smells and noise,

– requires thoughtful doors/partitions,

– may seem like "separate world" from living room.

In villas, they often combine:

• "show kitchen" (open kitchen) for life and guests,

• and "dirty kitchen" (working kitchen) in the depth of the layout.

3. Light and atmosphere

A kitchen in Dubai is not only a work zone, but also part of the interior.

Needed:

• bright work light (over countertop, stove, sink),

• soft evening light (for atmosphere),

• lighting inside and under cabinets (indirect light creating depth).

Light needs to be designed before ordering furniture, so as to:

• not get "holey" ceilings,

• not pull wires into already finished kitchen.

Engineering: electrical, water, ventilation, safety

Electrical: outlets, lines, panels

Kitchen is one of the most electricity-loaded nodes in the house:

• oven, cooktop,

• refrigerator, freezer,

• dishwasher,

• microwave, kettle, coffee machine,

• exhaust, outlets for small appliances.

In Dubai, it's important to:

• correctly calculate loads,

• allocate separate lines for powerful consumers,

• consider standards for cable cross-sections and protection, coordinated with DEWA and building codes.

• breaker trips,

• outlet overheating,

• limitations in appliance use ("oven + coffee machine together not possible").

Water and sewage

Kitchen is:

• sink, water filtration, sometimes — waste disposal,

• dishwasher,

• sometimes connection to refrigerator with ice/water function.

Dubai specifics:

• water quality, need for filtration,

• impact on equipment (scale, maintenance),

• importance of proper pipe laying and slopes to avoid smells and stagnant zones.

Need to think through:

• inspection access to nodes (traps, filters, valves),

• logical routing, so repair and maintenance don't require opening entire backsplash and floor.

Ventilation and exhaust

Unlike commercial kitchens, residential ones don't require the same level of fire suppression and exhaust systems, but the problem of smells and heat in Dubai is very noticeable:

• especially in open kitchens,

• especially in small apartments with active cooking.

Important:

• correctly choose exhaust by capacity,

• ensure proper air exhaust (not just recirculation through filter, if possible),

• coordinate exhaust operation with air conditioning system (so as not to "pull out" all cold air from apartment).

Commercial kitchens in UAE are strictly regulated by Fire & Life Safety Code, standards for exhausts, fire-resistant ducts and fire suppression systems.

Residential kitchens don't fall under the same set of requirements, but the logic of safety and proper ventilation remains relevant.

Permits, NOC and community rules

Any serious kitchen renovation in Dubai is not only about design and MEP, but also about permits.

Owner usually needs:

1. NOC from developer or management company

• confirmation that planned changes don't violate building/community rules,

• especially important if layout changes, wet zones or facades are affected.

1. Engineering and structural approvals

• if walls, openings, heavy elements are moved,

• if electrical or ventilation scheme changes significantly.

1. If necessary — approvals with Dubai Municipality and other authorities

• especially in villas and townhouses, where interventions may affect structure and facade.

Permit timelines depend on:

• property type (apartments, villa, commercial),

• depth of changes (from "cosmetics" to structural work),

• quality of prepared documentation.

According to various sources, minor MEP changes may take 1–2 weeks, while structural approvals — up to 3–4 weeks and more.

Cost and timelines: what to expect from kitchen renovation in Dubai

Market shows quite a wide range:

• small cosmetic updates (hardware replacement, painting, partial appliance change) — from several thousand to tens of thousands dirhams,

• full renovation with furniture, appliance and partial engineering replacement — on average from 25,000–40,000 AED and above,

• capital kitchen overhaul with layout change, exhaust, MEP and premium materials — 60,000–100,000+ AED.

By timelines:

• partial renovation or "refresh" may take 3–5 weeks,

• deep overhaul, especially as part of general villa renovation, — several months considering approvals and MEP work.

It's important to look not only at cost and timelines of kitchen set:

• engineering,

• approvals,

• demolition,

• protection of adjacent zones,

• logistics in building/community

often consume a significant part of budget and calendar.

Typical mistakes in kitchen renovation in Dubai

Mistake 1. Order kitchen without MEP project

If first "draw a beautiful kitchen", then try to fit electrical, water and ventilation to it, you get:

• chaos in outlets and outputs,

• compromises on heights and appliance placement,

• rework after furniture makers arrive.

1. concept and layout,

1. MEP project for it,

1. kitchen and finishing.

Mistake 2. Ignore building and developer rules

In apartments and villas, there are restrictions:

• on moving wet zones,

• on exhaust placement and its outlet,

• on noisy work and timelines.

Ignoring leads to:

• delays,

• fines,

• requirement to return everything "as it was".

Mistake 3. Save on hidden

Put premium kitchen on old:

• panels and lines,

• pipes and waterproofing,

• exhaust and ventilation —

means leaving a time bomb:

in a year or two problems will start, already in new finishing.

Mistake 4. Not think about service and operation

Kitchen in Dubai should be:

• easily washable,

• serviceable (access to filters, traps, valves),

• adaptable to appliance change.

If everything is packed "tightly", any repair turns into mini-construction.

How CYFR approaches kitchen renovation in Dubai

CYFR Fitout looks at kitchen as project node, not separate room:

1. Diagnostics and scenarios

• how family lives and uses kitchen,

• is there staff, how service is organized,

• requirements for storage, appliances, visual.

1. Project and MEP

• layout and light,

• electrical, water, ventilation,

• connection to current standards and building/community rules.

1. Approvals and NOC

• preparation of drawings and document package,

• interaction with developer and, if necessary, municipal structures.

1. Implementation and quality control

• work with demolition, noisy and dusty stages,

• coordination with kitchen and appliance supplier,

• online reports for owners, especially those living abroad.

1. Handover and maintenance

• final work check,

• instructions and engineering documentation,

• on request — connection to annual maintenance (AMC), so new kitchen stays new for long.

Conclusion: kitchen in Dubai is a small engineering project

Kitchen renovation in Dubai is not only:

• new set,

• trendy backsplash,

• beautiful appliances.

It is:

• thoughtful layout,

• properly assembled engineering,

• consideration of developer and city rules,

• understanding of how kitchen will live every day.

If you look at kitchen as engineering-design node, not just as picture,

renovation stops being a lottery and turns into manageable project,

which improves quality of life, property appeal and its market value.

CYFR Fitout as full-cycle contractor helps go through this path —

from idea and first sketches to working kitchen, where design and engineering truly work together.